Earwigs in the nest box....blech!

[utahmethodist]

I cleaned out the nest box yesterday and was disgusted when I found earwigs wriggling around in the bottom of the box after I removed the straw.

I tried to shop-vac them out but obviously enough of them hid from me because I looked under the fresh straw today and there they were again. I know my gals love to eat these things out in the garden but they're not eating them in the nest box.

So, what to do? I'm assuming, or rather hoping, that they don't actually harm the chickens in any way. Do they? I read that you can control them with DE. Should I even bother? What do you think?

For those of you who've never seen these creepy things here's one to feast your eyes on. The only insect that grosses me out more is the lovely centipede.

 

[coffeelady3]

I'm surprised your chickens didn't eat them!

 

[dogzrule5]

It looks like an ant

 

[dogzrule5]

oops - the entire picture hadn't loaded when I responded...gross!

 

[JennsPeeps]

Here's a better pic:

I'm surprised the chooks don't eat them, too.

Sprinkle some food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) in & around the coop. That should kill them, plus any mites or bugs on your chickens. You can but it online.

 

[utahmethodist]

They do eat them, just not in the nest box. They're "nothing but business" in the nest box and can't be bothered to do anything except lay that egg. I think I'll try the DE and see if that helps.

 

[Jenski]

I think you will have some luck with DE, especially sprinkled along the edges and corners of the coop. When I change out my shavings I sprinkle a mixture of DE and a bit of poultry dust on the bare floor, then lay 4" of shavings over the top. This seems to keep the creepy crawlies at bay.

Good luck!

 

[fowltemptress]

I wouldn't bother, unless they truly disgust you that much. They will not hurt chickens or eggs.
I used to collect earwigs, keep them as pets for a few hours, and release them again. I think they're adorable, and I can't help picking them up when I see them . . . I'm weird, I guess

 

[ams3651]

Quote:

 

[utahmethodist]

Yes, Fowltemptress, you are weird but you're in good company. My kids have all kinds of bugs in jars as pets as we speak. I even let them bring praying mantises into the house in the fall and let them "free range" in my living room. And I have been know to purchase crickets at the pet store to feed a pet black widow until my husband put the kibosh on that endeavor. (She wasn't going to bite me......I was very careful!)

But those pincher-butts on the earwigs just gross me out. Probably not bad enough to do anything drastic about it as long as they're not going to hurt my chickens, but I won't let my fingers linger in the straw when I collect the eggs.